As President Donald Trump prepared Tuesdayβs State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, cracks within his own party have become more visible ahead of this yearβs midterm elections. Republicans on Capitol Hill are poised to publicly applaud Trumpβs speech, but in recent months a series of policy votes and public statements have revealed growing unease among some members of the House GOP.
In recent roll calls, at least half a dozen House Republicans crossed party lines to vote against Trump on issues ranging from tariffs to war powers and the release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, signaling at least occasional defections that diverge from strict party unity.
βSometimes those votes wonβt make a difference, and it makes it easier to cast that vote as a little bit of a protest vote,β GOP strategist Todd Belt told CBS News. “But for some of them, they’re seeing a weakened president in terms of his poll numbers, so it’s easier for them to speak out against him,” he added, describing a dynamic where lawmakers weigh loyalty against political risk.
That shift comes against the backdrop of public opinion that has grown less favorable toward Trumpβs agenda. A CNN poll released ahead of the address found just 32% of Americans believe Trump has the right priorities, and his overall approval hovered around 36%, with 61% saying his policies will move the country in the wrong direction β βthe presidentβs most negative reading on that question to date,β according to reporting.
Trumpβs team has signaled that the speech will frame Tuesday night as a celebration, not only of policy but of the nationβs 250th anniversary. White House officials have described the theme as βAmerica at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected,β and aides told reporters the address will spotlight economic issues and affordability for families, while also defending controversial policies on immigration and border enforcement.
But that messaging comes amid skepticism from lawmakers and voters alike. Some GOP members have privately expressed frustration with elements of the White Houseβs economic and immigration agenda, arguing that parts of it βdefy common sense or what is traditionally conservative,β according to a lawmaker quoted anonymously in coverage of House Republican sentiment.
Meanwhile, at least 30 lawmakers are expected to skip Trumpβs address entirely, instead attending a rival event hosted by Democratic groups on the National Mall. Those plans reflect partisan divisions surrounding the speech, even as Democrats prepare their official response, to be delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
Donβt worry, there will be plenty of Epstein survivors present instead.
β Bobbi M Schutz π (@BobbiSchutz) February 24, 2026
The current dynamic stands in contrast to a year ago, when Mr. Trump addressed a joint session of Congress fresh off his return to the White House and was met with widespread Republican endorsement of a unified agenda.
At that moment, lawmakers from across GOP factions touted a mandate and projected cohesion on policy moves that followed, in marked difference to recent months. Many of those early supporters have since become more selective in their public backing, reflecting some lawmakersβ unease with aspects of the administrationβs direction..
That tension was visible in January, when Mr. Trump narrowly avoided a formal rebuke after two House Republicans voted with Democrats on a resolution aimed at blocking his authority to deploy troops to Venezuela following the capture of former President NicolΓ‘s Maduro. Another vote on war powers involving Iran is expected in the coming days as some Republicans continue to press for stronger congressional oversight.
Featured image by J. Scott Applewhite/ AP Photo
